Candlestick Park may be a distant memory, but the names of sports legends who made it an iconic fixture will live on in a future development where the stadium once sat.
Household names from the 49ers and Giants, such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Orlando Cepeda and Juan Marichal, were honored Sunday afternoon with street signs that will soon be erected in a new neighborhood on top of the demolished stadium.
Mayor Ed Lee and former Mayor Willie Brown were on hand to present signs to Montana and Rice.
“We are entering into a new era for the Candlestick neighborhood, and we will always cherish the memories that we have with the amazing sports moments” that occurred there, Lee said.
Montana actually made a special request that “Joe Montana Drive” be renamed “Montana Clark Drive,” in honor of his good friend and former teammate Dwight Clark.
Clark, the former 49ers receiver who recently disclosed his ALS diagnosis, received his own honor: a mural of the play he helped make famous known simply as “The Catch.”
“I couldn’t have done any of this without the people around me on that team,” Clark said.
The private dedication ceremony, which took place at San Francisco City Hall, also dedicated street names to Eddie DeBartolo Jr., Bill Walsh, Carmen Policy, Ronnie Lott and Barry Bonds.
“I never thought I’d have a street named after me, and I’m sure the other players feel the same way,” Rice said following the ceremony. “But it’s a great recognition, and I feel very fortunate.”
Officials say the ground work has been laid for the future development but did not provide specific details or a timeline on the project.
Candlestick Park was home to the Giants and 49ers for roughly five decades. It closed its gates in 2014 before being torn down.
